Banyan Villa 3, Bang Por Beach - sleeps 8

Please see the bottom of this description with respect to Covid-19 cleaning and protocols. Banyan Villa 3 is a 4 bedroom traditional Thai style villa, equipped to European standards, situated directly in front of the main swimming pool with stunning sea views, a mere 10 seconds walk down the garden path to the soft sands of Bang Por Beach. Villa 3 provides spacious accommodation for up to 8 guests set in tropical gardens it allows guests to relax in front of the swimming pool and enjoy views across to the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan. The Villa was built as a traditional Thai teak wood villa and was completed in 2007. The villa is tastefully furnished in keeping with the traditional Thai style featuring carved wooden columns internally. Outside there are balconies in front of the living area and on the upper floor to the master bedroom. Villa 3 is flanked by two garden paths leading to the beach and central parking area, access to the villa is via either of these paths. The downstairs living area is open plan and protected by mosquito screens, it leads on to the lower balcony through four sets of double doors. All rooms and the downstairs balcony are equipped with ceiling fans and all bedrooms are air-conditioned. Accommodation in detail: The main entry to the villa is up three steps that lead onto a veranda that surrounds the villa. Through the front door you enter into the open plan living area. The kitchen is to the rear of the living area and is separated by a bar counter, it is well equipped with modern cooking appliances including hotplates, microwave, fridge-freezer, coffee maker, rice cooker, toaster and cooking utensils. A full complement of crockery, glassware and cutlery is also provided. The dining area features a traditional teak dining table that accommodates 8 in comfort and has views over the pool and garden. If al-fresco dining is preferred patio dining can be enjoyed on the balcony with a further dining table that will also seat 8. On the balcony you will also find sun beds and a further occasional table and chairs. The living area has two large sofas, a coffee table and sports a large flat screen TV, with internet TV offering hundreds of channels and movies in 5 languages via a home theatre system. To the rear, downstairs, there is a large bedroom equipped with a Queen Size bed and adjoining bathroom. Stairs lead from the entrance to the upstairs bedrooms. The master bedroom is located at the front of the villa. It has a king sized bed, its’ own sitting area and double doors out to the upstairs balcony with stunning sea views. The balcony is equipped with sun beds and occasional table and chairs. The master bedroom has its’ own dressing room with ample wardrobe space which leads through to the en-suite bathroom. The Queen sized bedrooms 3 and 4 are located at the rear of the villa and have their own small balcony; these two bedrooms share a further upstairs bathroom. Complimentary Wi Fi internet access is available throughout the villa. Accommodation summary: • Open plan Living and dining room • Open plan kitchen area • King size master bedroom • Queen size second bedroom • Queen size third bedroom • Queen size fourth bedroom • All bedrooms with air-conditioning and ceiling fan • Sea views over the main swimming pool • Twice weekly maid service • Linen, Towels and Beach Towels changed weekly • Complimentary Wi-Fi • Utilities • Airport transfers We, the villa owners are available on site to assist you and offer a "front desk" service - in brief we can provide the following services charged locally: • Additional cleaning/maid services • Thai cook • Car hire • Taxi or private hire cars • Sightseeing tours • Grocery provisioning prior to your arrival Neighbourhood – Overview On the ground floor Villa 3 enjoys a gated covered balcony and veranda area which is safe for young children to play without being able to stray too far! The beach is sandy and quiet with no mass tourism. There are 5 restaurants within easy reach; 4 are a short walk down the beach (Jun Hom, The Sea, Sunset Bar and By the Beach), a further restaurant is located near the villa entrance (The Terrace) and there is a 7/11 convenience store about 1km down the road. The nearest centres for shopping and restaurants are about 10/15 minutes drive (Maenam, Bophut or Nathon). Nowhere on Samui is that far away as the island is only 20km by 25km, however, we would recommend you hire a car during your stay, if required we can arrange this for you. Driving on Samui is quite straight forward, with one major road around the island, cars are RHD - same side as UK/Australia. Getting Around As previously mentioned we would recommend car hire during your stay, although it is possible to flag down the local "pick-up taxis" that frequently pass the entrance. Should you choose to drive an international driving license should be used. International car hire companies such as Hertz and Avis are present at the airport. Banyan Villas can also arrange car hire for you. Driving times: Airport: 30 minutes Bophut: 10 minutes – restaurants, shopping, tours Golf Course 10 minutes Chaeweng 25 minutes – restaurants, shopping, nightlife Maenam 5 minutes – restaurants, shopping Nathon 15 minutes – administrative capital, restaurants, shopping Big Budha 20 minutes - Temple and souvenir shopping Supermarket shopping 25 minutes (Big C, Tesco Lotus, and Makro) Getting to Banyan Villas By air Most visitors to Koh Samui, whether domestic or international, will reach the island by air. Bangkok Airways own the private airport on the island and operate flights from Bangkok every thirty minutes from early morning until 9pm. With a flight time of just 45 minutes it is but a short hop! Bangkok Airways also operate direct flights from other cities within Thailand, as well as international locations such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and China. Check the schedule on Bangkok Airways website for details. Thai Airways also operate domestic flights between Bangkok and Koh Samui twice daily; other carriers such as Cathay, Silk Air and Firefly operate international regional flights to Samui. By road & ferry If driving through Thailand then head for the small port of Donsak on the southeast coast about 70km from Surat Thani. There are two car ferry services operating from here, with crossings to/from Koh Samui every hour between dawn and dusk. Visas Thailand does not require visas for most European, North American, Australasian or ASEAN nationals if travelling for the purposes of tourism. It is best though to be sure and if travelling from overseas we advise you to first check with your travel agent or nearest Thai Consulate before beginning your journey. Banyan Villas Covid 19 Cleaning Protocol • Floors washed with a bleach solution • Kitchen and bathroom surfaces/counter tops washed with bleach solution • Tactile surfaces sanitised with bleach solution o Door knobs o Window furniture o Light / Fan switches o Remote controls – Fans/TV/air-con/other o Cupboard and wardrobe doors o Table tops o Internal and external banister railings o Sinks, Toilets and taps (faucets) o Soap and gel dispensers • Soap and water cleaning of kitchen utensils, equipment & appliances • Soap and water cleaning of crockery, cutlery and glassware • Provision of hand sanitisers in all villas NOTES – see below for Background According to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can live in the air and on surfaces between several hours and several days: • 72 hours on plastic - only 0.1% of the virus remains • 48 hours on stainless steel • 24 hours on cardboard • In the air for 3 hours GUEST BOOKINGS In order to minimise risk Banyan Villas, in its’ wholly owned villas will employ a policy of maintaining a 72-hour gap between the departure and arrival times of guests.